The State of the Disunion Is Excellent

T [T]he president arrived at Congress with his tail between his legs after suffering a sobering defeat at the hands of the Democratic majority.

The aim is to stage a show of unity among all United States legislators around the president, whose words become the voice of the nation, prevailing over those of the two parties. The speech always contains, at one time or another, the phrase that seals this ritual of unity: “The state of the union is strong.”

Donald Trump officiated at the ceremony for the second time, although on this occasion, a week late after a struggle with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi was supposed to send out the invitation, but withheld it to ensure the reopening of the federal government, where 800,000 workers went unpaid for 35 days due to the president’s blackmailing of Congress. Although he hid it well, the president arrived at Congress with his tail between his legs after suffering a sobering defeat at the hands of the Democratic majority, whom he had so wanted to break in order to get their approval of a $5 billion budget appropriation to fund the wall on the Mexican border.

The use of fear is a crucial tool in this presidency; it’s even the title of Bob Woodward’s superb account of the inner workings of the White House, but even fear has been diminished after these events. This was visibly expressed by Democratic congresswomen dressed in white, principally Pelosi, who was on camera at all times during the speech, appearing vigilant behind the presidential podium, demonstrating subtle gestures of disapproval and occasionally condescending applause.

Europe feared an announcement of an abrupt break with NATO, but on that subject, Trump provided only a brief, discourteous and, as is customary, incorrect statement: “For years, the United States was being treated unfairly by friends of ours, members of NATO. But now we have secured, over the last couple of years, more than $100 billion of increase in defense spending from our NATO allies.” The cold war that Trump feeds abroad is promoted internally thanks to the rise of the Democratic left and the fear of the old bogeyman that is socialism. Only the most archaic extremists on both sides could claim a victory in the case of something going right in Venezuela, because the congratulations, if there are any, should be shared by Justin Trudeau, Felipe Gonzalez and Pedro Sanchez, among others.

Trump has lost his dissuasive capacity. He has little credibility, but has created a great deal of fear. His threats are now beginning to sound hollow. Like the idea of unity that is, in his own words, fake news, a deception. The country is divided and polarized. The distrust between allies is at its highest, alleviated only by presidential weakness. Only disunion is in a good state. It is also a consolation, because Trump has now become predictable. The great pot-stirrer has started to get stuck.